Florida Keys Scenic Highway - Corridor Management Plan, May, 2001
What are Mile Markers?
Jerry Wilkinson: "Mile Markers (MM) is a relative location of a site in reference to the number of miles north of Key West. The business center of unincorporated Key Largo is at about MM 100; therefore, about 100 miles northeast of Key West. The Florida DOT tries to maintain small rectangular green with white number mile marker signs every mile on both sides
of the highway. Generally except Marathon, addresses along the highway is the MM expressed as a four, five or six digit number. For example, a business with an address of
100511 Overseas Highway would located at about MM 100.5. If the extreme right digit (least significant) number is an even number, it is on the west or bayside.
If an odd number it is on the east of ocean side. Subtracting two MM's gives the approximate number of miles between two known locations. If the MM's are getting smaller, one is traveling south or southwest. These are listed from north to south. Note: the farther south in the Keys one is, the more east and west the highway runs.
Business/commercial location may change or even disappear. This was compiled early 2003. I assume this practice began with Henry Flagler who numbered every mile of railroad beginning at Jacksonville and ending at Key West. They were white and black concrete Mile Post signs along the railroad track and on the printed timetables."
Note: Card Sound Road is a good alternate route to the Keys - greener, quieter, slower. There is a $1.00 bridge toll. You can stop at Alabama Jacks (305-248-8741). "Beyond the bridge, on the road through the northern half of Key Largo, I get a glimpse of what the Keys looked like before the highway. It's a rare sight to see....The hardwooods are species with names that evoke their Caribbean origins: sabal palm, humbo limbo, coco plum. Many of thes broad-leaved trees no longer exist elsewhere in the Keys, but here they form dense thickets as sultry as miniature rain forests." From Endless Summer by Bruce Stutz, Conde Nast Traveler, August 2005.
127.5 = Florida City. Junction of Florida Turnpike and U.S. 1. If you have time, take a small detour to the Robert is Here fruit stand at 19200 SW 344 th Street. Homestead (305-246-1592). Follow the sign for the Everglades National Park. Be sure to have one of the fresh fruit milkshakes.
Skeeter's Last Chance Saloon - Florida City (305-248-4935). See Last Chance Saloon by Alexandra Quiñones, Miami New Times, August 23, 2007.
Biscayne National Underwater Park - 9710 Southwest 328th Street, also known as North Canal Drive (304-230-1100 and 305-230-7275)
Dante Fascell Visitor Center - Biscayne National Park. Convoy Park, 9700 SW 328th has boat trips.
126.5 = Junction of U.S. 1 and 905 to Card Sound Bridge and Ocean Reef Club. (Card Sound Road is good alternate route to the Keys - greener and quieter. There is a $1.00 bridge toll.)
126 = Beginning of two-lane highway known as the"18 Mile Stretch"
123.5 = Florida Sand and Gravel - Oceanside
123 = Dade Correctional Institution - Bayside. 19000 S.W. 377th Street, Florida City
118-121 = Four-lane passing zone
119.5 = Dirt road turn-off - Bayside
115 = South Dade Marina - (305-247-8730)
114.1 = Dade County / Monroe County Line
110.8 = Little Black Water Sound Public Boat Ramp - Bayside. Small boats only.
107.9 = Gilbert's Resort - Bayside (800-274-6701 and 305-451-1133)
107.2 = Drawbridge to Key Largo
106.6 = Lake Surprise
106.6 = Shell Man Gifts
106.5 = Turn-off to left for CR 905. You'll pass the solid waste transfer facility, the Angler's Club, the turnoff for Card Sound Road. At the end is the Ocean Reef Club.
106 = Key Largo Chamber of Commerce - Bayside. 106000 Overseas Highway (305-451-4747 and 800-822-1088)
106 = Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammocks Botanical State Park - (305-451-1202). 2500 acres. This is the largest subtropical West Indian hardwood forest in the U.S. It's the site of the failed Port Bougainvillea development. East side of 905, south of the Angler's Club. Has coastal rock barren at Dispatch Slough.
105.5 = St. Justin the Martyr Catholic Church - Bayside. (305-451-1316)
105.3 = Winn-Dixie - Bayside in Island Plaza, 105300 Overseas Highway, Key Largo (305-451-0328). Hours: 7am-10pm
105.3 = Stillwright Point community entrance - Bayside
105 = Cracked Conch - Oceanside. Closed Tues, Wed. Serves lunch and dinner. (305-451-0732)
104.8 = Key Largo Elementary School - Oceanside at 104801 Overseas Highway.
104.5 = Florida Bay Outfitters - Bayside. Open 7 days, 8:30 am-6:00 pm (305-451-3018)
104.5 = Amoray Dive Resort - Also known as Amy Slate's Amoray Dive Resort (800-426-6729 and 305-451-3595)
104.5 = Taylor Creek Village - Oceanside
104.5 = Tamarind Park - Bayside
104.3 = Rick's Place Motel and Sailing Resort - Mary Wells & Rick White (305-451-32870)
104.3 = Azur del Mar - Boutique hotel owned by Karol Marsden and Dominic Marsden (305-451-0337). See also their Azul Key West
104.2 = Kellys on the Bay - Dive resort (800-226-0415)
104.1 = Caribbean Club - Bayside. Model for the set for the 1948 movie Key Largo. The walls are covered with Bogart memorabilia.
104 = Italian Fisherman Restaurant - Bayside
104 = Sundowners - Bar on the bayside has a great view and outside bar. Try the Swedish lemonade. (305-451-4502)
103.8 = Marriott Key Largo Resort (305-453-0000 and 800-932-9332) "The full-service Mariott Key Largo Bay Resort has a small boutiquey feel and a friendly bar overlooking the bay." (Endless Summer by Bruce Stutz, Conde Nast Traveler, August 2005.)
103.8 = Central (Pink) Plaza Shopping Center - Bayside
103.5 = Tarpon Flats Inn & Marina - Oceanside (866-546-0000)
103.5 = Jules' Undersea Lodge (305-451-2353)
103.4 = Marvin Adams Waterway Bridge (The Cut) - Canal connecting Atlantic to Florida Bay
103.2 = Silent World Dive Center - Bayside (800-966-3483 and 305-451-3252)
102.8 = John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park - Oceanside
102.5 = Perry's Restaurant - Bayside
102.5 = Marlin's Restaurant - Cuban (305-451-2454)
102.4 = Fish House Restaurant - Key Largo. Local favorite for lunch (305-451-4665)
101.7 - Largo Lodge - Bayside (305-451-0424) "One room and six one-bedroom cottages (which sleep up to four) in a lush setting."
(about $195 per night for 4, incl. tax) See Keys Voices: Reminising with Harriet Stokes By Josie Gulliksen, Florida Keys News Bureau
101.7 = Hobo's Cafe - 101691 Overseas Highway. Serves breakfast, lunch & dinner. (305-451-5888) Good yellowtail sandwiches and key lime pie.
101.5 = Tradewinds Shopping Center - Oceanside. Has the following stores:
- By Cindy Price, New York Times, March 14, 2008.